Modern Sporting Rifles (MSR) based on the AR-10 and AR-15 platforms, firearms originally designed by Armalite, with calibers ranging from .22 to .308 and larger, are among the most popular firearms sold in the United States today. These AR-platform MSRs, however, have come under increased public scrutiny recently as the result of several high profile shooting incidents. State legislatures in several States, e.g., Connecticut, California and New York, have enacted tough new laws to curb the use of these rifles and reduce the perceived danger to the public. These restrictions have generally focused on the possession and use of high capacity magazines and features associated with achieving high rates of sustained fire. Most restrictions follow the earlier federal statutes and limit the definition of assault rifles to firearms which are (1) semi-automatic, (2) center-fire, and (3) capable of accepting a detachable magazine. At least two rifles have been introduced in recent years which are compatible with the full range of magazines and ammunition useable in these MSRs, and may host some of the same features, but are pump actuated rather than being semi-automatic. One is the Troy Pump-Action AR-15; the other is the Remington 7615. This latter rifle was in the news in 2015 when the US 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it is a violation of the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution for the State of CT to include this rifle on its list of banned firearms.
Herein after, pump action rifles may alternatively be referred to as PAR.
While both of these rifles are excellent weapons, ownership requires purchase of an entirely new rifle and many of the parts used to make them are unique to these designs. For existing owners of AR-15s looking for a less expensive solution to acquiring a PAR, or for prospective owners looking for a rifle which incorporates more standard AR-15 parts than are used in the Remington or Troy models, a solution which allows relatively easy conversion of an existing AR-platform rifle from a semi-automatic rifle to a pump-action version is needed.